POLLUTION PREVENTION OPPORTUNITY DATA SHEET
HALON REDISTRIBUTION/RECOVERY/RECYCLING/RECLAIMING
Revision:
Product/Process:
4/95
Decommissioning of the fire extinguishing agents Halon 1211 and
Halon 1301
N/A
Process Code:
Substitute for:
N/A
Waste Stream:
N/A
Applicable EPA Hazardous Waste Codes: N/A
Applicable EPCRA Targeted Constituents: Halon 1211 (Bromochlorodifluoromethane),
Halon 1301 (Bromotrifluoromethane)
Introduction:
Halon 1211 and 1301 are widely-used fire-suppression and explosionprotection agents. However, both Halon 1211 and Halon 1301 have
extremely high ozone-depletion potentials; therefore, production has
been halted and use is being curtailed until existing supplies are
exhausted.
Halon 1301 and Halon 1211 are still approved for use, but only in
mission-critical applications such as flight-line fire fighting and shipand shore-based crash and rescue operations. In addition, each
mission-critical application requires a waiver for procurement of
replacement Halon, and its procurement must come from the Defense
Logistics Agency (DLA) Halon reserve, since purchase of new product
is now impossible. Furthermore, any existing non-mission-critical
applications must be decommissioned and allocated to the DLA Halon
reserved stockpile. Conservation of Halons is necessary to preserve
existing supplies until replacement products and systems can be
implemented. Actual use should be restricted to real incidents
requiring fire suppression. Routine testing of systems for proper
operation with the Halon product is discouraged.
The stockpile of reclaimed Halon is expected to last a number of
years. Nevertheless, technical challenges have hindered product
development of Halon substitutes. Although the EPA has approved a
number of alternatives under its Significant New Alternatives Policy
(SNAP) program, none of the alternatives are simple drop-in
replacements.
Description:
The current supply of Halon is limited for a number of reasons:
1) Production was stopped in 1994.
2) Companies stockpiled Halon in anticipation of price increases.
3) IRS-imposed excise tax.
4) True replacements have not been available as 'approved and
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listed.”
5 ) Large companies have bought up large quantities to ensure
availability.
However, the price of reclaimed Halon should start to drop as
‘approved” alternatives become available and large companies satisfy
their Halon needs. Surplus Halon is likely to be resold, since Halon
cannot be destroyed economically. Thus, redistribution, recovery,
recycling, and reclamation are all methods of meeting future Halon
demand. Recycling is the process of removing contaminants (oils,
nitrogen, particulates, moisture) by refrigeration and filtration so that
the Halon can again be used in a fire suppression system. Reclaiming
involves reprocessing the Halon to new product specifications through
filtration, distillation, refrigeration, and vaporization.
Halon Redistribution: Both E/M Corporation, a subsidiary of Great
Lakes Chemical Corporation, and Automatic Suppression Systems of
South Holland, Illinois, provide a recycling service to restore
contaminated Halon back to Mil-Spec quality, as well as a market for
Halon 1301 and Halon 1211 resale to distributors. The steps required
to recover Halon include the following:
Verify that cylinders contain Halon 1301, Halon 1211, or other
Halons.
Transfer Halon to blow-down tank for storage.
Recycle Halon through a recycling system to remove contaminants
or reclaim the Halon so that it meets all necessary specifications.
Verify that the reclaimed Halon meets the necessary specifications.
Return Halon to storage cylinders.
order to recycle Halon, certain components are required. The
pumping system must be able to quickly and efficiently (99 percent
efficiency to prevent the escape of Halon into the atmosphere) move
the Halon liquid and vapor from the storage tank to processing
equipment. Operating pressures range from 360 to 600 psig for
pressurized cylinders down to a vacuum of 10 to 20 inches of mercury
for cylinders which will be opened to the atmosphere. The recycling
system should include modules for 1) removing contaminants by
filtration and 2) removing nitrogen by condensing the Halon and
venting the nitrogen. Filters should be replaceable without the release
of Halon. In general, the two modules can run automatically and are
not labor intensive.
Typically, limited Halon supplies are restricted to the following critical
use applications. These criteria are only suggested guidelines and do
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not represent EPA legislation:
Where a potential for fatalities or serious injuries exists.
Where hazardous material processes could result in an
environmental release with potential for fatalities, serious injuries,
serious environmental incident, adverse public opinion, or
fire/explosion.
Where damage will exceed $50 million.
When severe economic impact will result due to interruption of
sales.
For more detailed information on Halon 1211 and 1301 alternatives,
see the Pollution Prevention Opportunity Data Sheets, 'Halon 1211:
Uses, Restrictions and Replacements," and, 'Halon 1301: Uses,
Restrictions and Replacements."
Materials
Compatibility:
Halons are very inert and not deleterious to most elastomers, metals,
or electronic systems. Halons do decompose to a small degree during
a fire extinguishing event, releasing some hydrofluoric acid gases.
However, the concentrations are so small (several hundred to several
thousand ppm) and the gases so readily dispersed that material
compatibility is not normally a concern, even if materials left in the
enclosed space are sensitive to the acid gases/decomposition products
of Halons. Damage is more often caused by the smoke, ash, and soot
of the fire.
Safety and Health: Dry chemical has a low order toxicity. perfluorocarbons also have a low
order toxicity, but care should be taken when handling any of these
chemicals. Proper personal protective equipment is recommended.
Consult your local Industrial Health specialist, your local health and
safety personnel, and the appropriate MSDS prior to implementing any
of these technologies.
Benefits:
Production of both Halon 1301 and Halon 1211 has been stopped, and
any material already existing will most likely be used for its originally
intended purpose, since it cannot be converted or easily destroyed.
However, conserving the material only for mission-critical applications
will prolong its useful lifetime and extend the time period over which
the material enters the environment, thus lessening the immediate
impact on the ozone layer.
Because there is no universal drop-in replacement and several of the
substitutes also have undesirable characteristics, like high global
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warming potentials, careful consideration of the choices is necessary in
order to select the optimal alternative.
Economic Analysis: Use of pollution prevention funds for replacement, of Halon fire
extinguishing systems with non-Halon based systems is not authorized
if the reason for conversion is that the existing system has reached the
end of its life expectancy.
Conversion of existing military systems is mandatory, but if an
acceptable substitute does not yet exist or the Halon application is
considered mission-critical, good maintenance and leak integrity can be
used to prolong the useful life of the existing Halon system.
Furthermore, as existing Halon systems are phased out of use, the
Halon contained in those systems can be recovered and reused in other
mission-critical systems still in service. By reclaiming and reusing the
Halon from decommissioned systems, the replacements can be done
more gradually, lessening the financial impact of the Halon phaseout.
Major Assumptions:
Points of Contact:
NIA
Captain Robert Tetla
Halon Replacement Program
Occupied Areas
Wright Laboratories (WRLFIVCF)
DSN 523-3746
Mr. Fred Walker
Fire Protection Engineer
HQ AFCESADFE
DSN 523-6315
Corinna C. Gilfillan
Program Associate
Halon Recovery Campaign
Ozone Protection Project
Friends of the Earth
(202) 783-7400 ext. 214
US EPA Stratospheric Ozone Information Hotline, (800) 296-1996
US EPA Halon Program Manager (202) 233-9193
Halon Recycling Corporation, (800) 258-1283, (202) 223-6166
Navy CFC and Halon Clearinghouse, (703) 769-1883
DLA Halon Bank, (804) 279-4525
National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), (800) 344-3555
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National Association of Fire Equipment Distributors, (3 12) 644-6610
Fire Suppression Systems Association, (410) 931-8100
Fire Equipment Manufacturers Association, (216) 241-7333
Underwriters Laboratories, (708) 272-8800
Factory Mutual Research Corporation, (617) 255-4773
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Ms. Karen Metchis
Halon Specialist
SNAP Program
Office of Stratospheric Ozone Protection
US EPA
(202) 233-9193
Ms. Reva Rubenstein
Toxicity Specialist
SNAP Program
Office of Stratospheric Ozone Protection
US EPA
(202) 233-9155
Vendors:
DuPont Fluorochemicals
(302) 992-2177, Fax (302) 992-2836
Barley Mill Plaza 13-2150
P.O. Box 80013
Wilmington, DE 19880-0013
Former manufacturer of Halon 1301
Mr. Daniel Moore
Market Development Manager for Halon Replacements
The following vendors can provide complete fire suppression systems:
Ansul Fire Protection
1240 Iroquois Drive, Suite 102
Napierville, IL 60563-8537
(708) 305-5700, Fax (708) 305-3360
Also supplies IG-541
Mr. David Pelton
Automatic Suppression Systems, Inc.
130 Armory Drive
South Holland, IL 60473-2817
Recovery and reclamation of Halon
Mr. George A. Krabbe
PresidentKEO
Figgie Fire Suppression Systems
1000 Governors Highway
University Park, IL 60466
(708) 534-1000, Fax (708) 534-1011
Mr. Steve Dimetrovich
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Fike Fire Suppression Systems
704 South 10th St.
P.O. Box 610
Blue Springs, MO 64013
(816) 229-3405, Fax (816) 229-4615
Mr. Jeff Moore
Kidde-Fenwal, Inc.
400 Main St.
Ashland, MA 01721
(508) 881-2000 ext. 2273, Fax (508) 881-8920
Mr. Stan Slanski
The following vendor can provide Halon reclamation service:
E/M Corporation
917 134th St. SW
Everett, WA 98204
(206) 787-1068, (206) 787-1070
Paul Huston & Associates
220 Snake Hill Road
Trusville, AL,35173
Recovery and reclamation of Halon
Mr. Paul Huston.
Approving
Authority:
Note:
Approving authority is controlled locally and is not required by the
major claimant.
This recommendation should be implemented only after engineering
approval has been granted by cognizant authority.
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